The only evidence of a splash dam that I have ever been able to find is on Lynn Camp Prong above the cascades....there is still part of the base of the **** across the stream with a nice little pool behind it....when I first saw this 30 years ago I just figured someone had dammed up a swimming hole....but reading the book these dams spanned the whole gorge at these points and were about 10 ft high...when the water backed up and the logs were in place they would open the dam up and the water would splash down the river hence the name....on Tremont this would take the logs down to the Wye and they on into Townsend.....I would imagine it would have been quite a site seeing that mass going over the cascades and would not have wanted to be anywhere near there when it happened.

Sorry I missed this when it was current. That really is a neat area of the park. Must have looked very different when there were few trees around. There was some discussion several years ago about trying to save maybe 10 of the more significant cabins in Elkmnt and turning them into rentals. I think it was decided they were too far gone.......... a shame, for some were very interesting, and in my opinion add to the place. It was said that they were adding bacteria to the creek that might not be safe for the campers (old septic systems). I wonder if that could be the reason for the better fish in the stretch from there to Metcalf bottoms, more nutrients for the bugs to feed on? Congratulations on that first trout. The dry/dropper is a great searching method. The Smokys do have a way of getting a hold of you, making you want to come back........... and what better excuse for spending time there, and really getting immersed in it, than waiving a flyrod?!
Good luck in the salt.
Best,
John

the OP was fishing above tremont. that area was a job corps center prior to the institute taking over...and now the institute is going to modernize.
Elkmont , on the other hand, i still the subject of much controversy as to the fate of the buildings........common discussion focuses on resstoring 17 designated cabins in the area....including the spence, chapman, and RR heads houses. i have had field training with eric kreusch, park archiologist in there and been in most of them...the higdon cabin has the bathtub fallen through the floor.